Portal:Erie/Selected biography
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Billy Blanks (born September 1, 1955) is an American fitness guru, martial artist, actor, and the inventor of Tae Bo. Blanks was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, the fourth of fifteen children. Blanks began his acting career in the 1980s where he starred in several action-adventure feature films. In the late 1980s, Blanks invented the Tae Bo workout, while running a karate studio in Quincy, Massachusetts. Blanks opened a fitness center in Los Angeles to teach his new workout. He later attracted some celebrity clients such as Paula Abdul and the popularity of the workout quickly grew. The popularity of the workout later waned, but Blanks still attracts many celebrity clients and Tae Bo videos and DVDs have continued to sell well.
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Tom Ridge (born August 27, 1945 in Munhall) is an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives (1983–1995), Governor of Pennsylvania (1995–2001), Assistant to the President for Homeland Security (2001–2003), and the first United States Secretary of Homeland Security (2003–2005).
Born in Munhall, Pennsylvania, in Pittsburgh, he was raised in veterans' public housing in Erie. He was educated at St. Andrews Elementary School and Cathedral Preparatory School. He earned a scholarship to Harvard College. He was staff sergeant during the Vietnam War where he earned the Bronze Star , National Defense Service Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
Erie International Airport was renamed Tom Ridge Field in his honor. An environmental center on Presque Isle is named after Ridge as he was instrumental in securing funds for the center.
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Strong Vincent (June 17, 1837 – July 7, 1863) was a lawyer who became famous as a U.S. Army officer during the fighting on Little Round Top at the American Civil War Battle of Gettysburg, where he was mortally wounded.
Vincent was born in Waterford, Pennsylvania, son of iron foundryman B. B. Vincent and Sarah Ann Strong Vincent. He attended Trinity College and Harvard University, graduating in 1859. He practiced law in Erie, Pennsylvania.
At the start of the Civil War, Vincent joined the Pennsylvania Militia as an adjutant and first lieutenant of the Erie Regiment. On September 14, 1861, he was commissioned lieutenant colonel of the 83rd Pennsylvania Infantry and was promoted to colonel the following June. After the death of his regimental commander in the Seven Days Battles (at the Battle of Gaines' Mill), Vincent assumed command of the regiment. On Little Round Top, a bullet struck him through the thigh and the groin and he fell. Due to gallant performances by the 20th Maineand the 140th New York, the Union line held against the Confederate onslaught. Vincent was carried from the hill to a nearby farm, where he lay dying for the next five days, unable to be transported to his home due to the severity of his injury.
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Louis W. Bierbauer (September 28, 1865 - January 31, 1926) of Erie, Pennsylvania, was considered a top-notch second baseman in Major League Baseball during the late 1880s and 1890s.
He was a rising star for the Philadelphia Athletics of the American Association before joining many other major leaguers in jumping to the outlaw Players' League for the 1890 season, a league which folded after just the one year of play.
During the off-season settlement, the arbitrators awarded Bierbauer to Pittsburgh of the National League instead of sending him back to Philadelphia, on the grounds that the A's had not reserved him. This produced a schism between the leagues as well as the lasting nickname of the Pittsburgh club: the "Pirates".
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Carlton Brandaga Curtis (December 17, 1811–March 17, 1883) was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.
Curtis was born in Madison County, New York. He moved to Erie, Pennsylvania, where he studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1834. He moved to Warren, Pennsylvania in 1834 and commenced practice. He was a member of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from 1836 to 1838.
Curtis was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-second and Thirty-third Congresses. He served as chairman of the United States House Committee on Accounts during the Thirty-third Congress. He was affiliated with the Republican Party in 1855.
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Phillip Sheridan "Phil" English (born June 20, 1956) has served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1995 from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, since 2003 representing the state's 3rd Congressional district (map). The district is based in Erie and includes most of the northwestern part of the state.
English was born in Erie and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. While in college, he served as Chairman of the Pennsylvania College Republicans. Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum has said before that while he was attending Penn State University, English knocked on his dorm room door early one morning and told him he was going to start a College Republicans organization there. At age 20 he still holds a record (which was later tied in 2000) for being the youngest Pennsylvania Alternate Delegate to a Republican National Convention, set in 1976.
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